To link to the entire object, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed the entire object, paste this HTML in websiteTo link to this page, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed this page, paste this HTML in website

Summary

Contains personal and professional letters to Parma; scrapbooks of articles on Parma
and his exhibitions at the Library of Congress. The majority of the collection
consists of: Thomas Lake Harris' personal letters from his family; professional
letters and documents regarding the Fountain Grove vineyards; photographs of Harris;
publications and manuscripts of Harris' sermons, expository and creative
writing.

Biography

V. Valta Parma, born Albert Houghton Pratt, was born in Brooklyn, NY on 31 March 1878
and died in Washington, DC on 31 October 1941. He attended prepatory school at
Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute and Hamilton College (2 years, and honorary A.M.,
1941) and Cornell University (A.B., 1901). From 1901 to 1915 he was a member of the
publishing firm of Houghton-Mifflin Co.; from 1915 to 1927 he did editorial work on
children's literature; from 1927 to 1940 he was Curator of Rare Books at the Library
of Congress.

Biography

Thomas Lake Harris a Christian mystic and poet, was born in Ferry Stratord, England
on 15 May 1823 and died in New York, NY on 23 March 1906. At the age of five his
family emigrated to American and settled in Utica, NY. Although raised in a strict
Calvinist family he was converted to Universalism in 1843, whereupon he entered the
ministry and was pastor of the Fourth Universalist Society in New York City. In New
York Harris became acquainted with Andrew Jackson Davis who introduced him to
mysticism. He wrote numerous articles on the topic and founded a monthly journal,
The Herald of Light (1857 - 1861). After travels and lectures in England he returned
with Lady Oliphant to upstate New York and founded a spiritual community called "The
Use". "The Use" went west to Santa Rosa, CA in 1875 and founded a vineyard,
"Fountain Grove". In 1891, after the death of his second wife, he married his
secretary and moved to New York City where he spent the remainder of his life.